What Blind Spot?

I’m perfect. Totally perfect. No issues. You too? I knew it! Your lawyer is perfect too! So are your kids, how you work as an employee, you’re an amazing parent, the list goes on. It’s amazing how perfect we are. We have zero blind spots. None. And, if somehow we had a blind spot, we clearly wouldn’t advertise it, right?

That’s the rub. You may not see it, but often others do. If you are able to wake up to your blind spots, then you can work on it. That’s a tough one though. Your blind spot. Whoa.

When people end up in a courtroom, the assumption is the judge will get it, the people listening will get it, and your story will be totally understood. The issue there is obvious: you are dealing with humans. As humans, we all have our own ways we have lived life. While you feel there is such thing as ‘common sense,’ I’ve learned that there is no such thing. What we’d call a ‘good person’ can even lack what I think is ‘common sense.’

Perhaps ‘common sense’ and ‘blind spot’ are interchangeable. You can have a judge that has sat on the family law bench for 20 years and they will still have a blind spot. Lawyers have them too, as do experts, as do all humans. The expertise comes in when the people you are working closely with learn what the blind spots are and work with them.

Whether you like it or not, humans are not perfect and they are going to have biases, blind spots, and lack common sense. It’s how you deal with those that matter. You can disparage someone for it. That’s one choice. You can write a note online saying how ignorant and horrible that person is. You can engage in conversation and flow with possibilities. That’s another option, and I like that one.

I have yet to meet someone as perfect as me and you, with zero blind spots. We’re just lucky I guess. It’s great we have compassion for the human condition of imperfection, with the ability to hone in on that issue immediately and begin lovingly enlightening the other individual on what they are missing (please tell me you get the humor here). I hope you see my point. In family law, we deal in the blind spot. It’s where lawyers make the most money: some for the good and some I don’t know. I encourage you to face your blind spot, if you are lucky enough to be aware of it, and learn how to grow from it. Ok ok I have blind spots, but shhhhhh, I’m not telling.